The value of exercising the human body as an avenue to optimum health cannot be overly estimated. As a result of this awareness, more and more people are attempting to take the opportunity for exercise. Accordingly, many health clubs and other recreational facilities have been constructed and are attended by people seeking to stay physically fit. Sales of in-home exercise equipment has likewise escalated.
A vast array of mechanical apparatus has been developed for use in exercising the human body. One such type of apparatus typically includes a grip or engagement structure which a person engages, for example, with his/her arms, hands, back, feet, etc. The engagement structure is connected by cables, cams and pulleys to a weight assembly so that a selected weight may be loaded depending upon the individual's own strength. Other types of exercise machines includes treadmills, stationary bicycles, stair step machines and the like. While there is little doubt that these various exercising apparatus, if used properly, are of great utility in attaining and maintaining a physically fit body, such machines have two primary drawbacks. First, such apparatus are fairly complex in construction and are correspondingly expensive. Second, proper exercise requires a significant number of these machines to exercise the whole body.
Since few individuals can afford the complete ensemble of machines necessary to exercise the body, most individuals join health or recreational clubs which maintain an ensemble of machines for on-premise use. Unfortunately, the inconvenience of travel to a health club facility coupled with the cost of maintaining membership discourages many individuals from keeping up with their exercise regimen.
There has been recognized, therefore, a need for exercise apparatus that may be used in-home in addition to such equipment that may be available at health club and recreational facilities. Examples of common exercise apparatus of this type include treadmills, stair step machines and stationary bicycles. Another type of such apparatus is the resilient, compressible foam devices which I have disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,661 and 4,603,851.
In each of my two earlier patents, I have disclosed leg exercising apparatus wherein a dense, resilient, compressible foam material is molded into a configuration that provides a ground engaging base with an upper surface which may be engaged by the feet of a user. Various exercises may be performed while standing or running in place on this device with the controlled compression and resilience of the foam providing beneficial resistance to the exercise. I have found that it is important to control the resistance to compression by the various pad portions of these devices in order to increase the performance thereof.
In order to control the compression of the foot pad portions of these devices, it is important that undesirable lateral spreading be eliminated and to isolate foot pads against potential transfer of energy from the compression of one foot pad to the other. My earlier exercise apparatus, as disclosed in the above referenced patents, had such disadvantages due to their unitary molded construction. Moreover, as a result of the transfer of energy, shearing or tearing between the foot pads could occur which would destroy the usefulness of the entire apparatus.
Accordingly, despite the improvements and advantages of all of the exercise apparatus described above, there remains a need for improved exercise apparatus which are simple and durable in construction. There remains a need for improved apparatus which may be used by a person for in-home exercising at a reasonable cost. There is further a need for exercise apparatus which are compact and easily stored.